"You idiot."

Thalia cracked an eye open at the familiar voice, finding herself in a warm, comfortable bed in the corner of a small, dark room. Faint light filtered in from heavy curtains on the opposite wall. She turned her head to see Jason tucked into another bed next to her's, electric blue eyes glaring lightning bolts at her.

"Runs in the family." She managed to croak, smirking.

Jason turned away with a groan, shutting his eyes in disbelief.

Laughter bubbled up in Thalia's throat, welling up uncontrollably and spilling from her lips. She squeezed her eyes shut, revelling in the feel of being alive.

Jason started to laugh as well, swearing, then gasped hard as a sharp stab of pain came from his wound. He groaned again, muttering unhappily in Latin.

"Told you so." Thalia let out a last giggle. Oddly, she didn't feel any pain. She wondered how long she'd been out. It must've been long enough for her wound to heal.

"Seriously, though." Jason wheezed through the pain. "Next time you decide to take on a Titan, call me."

"You were still in a coma," Thalia snorted. "What were you gonna do, deafen Atlas with your snores?"

"It might drive him mad," Jason suggested. "Then he wouldn't be able to fight."

Thalia rolled her eyes, although Jason couldn't see it. "Yeah. That'll happen."

A knock came from the door at the end of the room.

"Come in," Jason called.

The door swung open to reveal Chiron in wheelchair form. The wise old centaur gave Thalia a kind smile as he wheeled himself to her bedside.

"It's good to have you back, my dear girl."

Alabaster collapsed into the cockpit chair with a groan, shutting his eyes as he leaned gratefully into the padded backrest. After spending three days in Jordan's lower bunk recovering, he'd intended to use the cockpit's computers to take his mind off boredom, but just walking the short distance from the living room had left him sweating and breathless. The spell he'd used on Thalia had drained him worse than anything he'd ever done before.

"Unbelievable." He muttered. "I feel like jelly all over."

He remained that way for several minutes, catching his breath. A slight vibration running through the aircraft's hull signalled the activation of the underbelly platform.

"Jordan's back," he muttered. "Hope he remembered to pack my lunch."

Jordan had indeed returned, but what Alabaster didn't know was that Lisa had come with her brother to pay him a visit.

"Cockpit." Jordan jerked his head toward the front of the aircraft.

"Thanks." Lisa nodded, but Jordan had already turned away, striding into the living room to unpack the groceries he'd bought. Lisa swallowed and headed for the cockpit, finding him seated in a chair, his back to the doorway. She stopped at the cockpit door, not wanting to startle him.

"Hey."

Alabaster's eyes popped open. "Lisa?"

She walked into his line of sight, turning to face him. "How're you doing?"

"Fine I guess." Alabaster couldn't take his eyes off her. "Still pretty tired. Need a few more days to recover my strength."

"Mm." Lisa's eyes drifted to the bandage sticking out of his collar. "Does it still hurt?"

Alabaster shook his head slightly. "No."

"That's good." Alabaster's eyes widened as she lowered herself into his lap, straddling him. She leaned forward onto his chest, resting her chin on his uninjured shoulder. Her mouth was beside his ear. "How about now?"

"N-no, no." Alabaster stuttered. Is this a dream?

"Good." She relaxed against him, soft hair brushing against his cheek.

"Um," he tried to piece his thoughts together. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah," Lisa said quietly. "I'm sure."

Alabaster wrapped his good arm around her back nervously.

"Just let me know if you need anything, alright?" She murmured.

"I'll do that." A warm, fuzzy feeling started in his chest. He leaned his head into hers', sighing in contentment as she snuggled her body against his chest. "Watch the stomach." He mumbled into her hair.

"I know," Lisa nodded against his shoulder.

They remained that way for a while, enjoying feel of each other. Alabaster listened in fascination to her rhythmic breaths beside his ear, hearing it hitch when he started stroking her back.

"You saved Thalia." Her voice brought him out of his reverie. He realised his eyelids had begun to droop.

"I did what I could." He closed his eyes, picturing the black-haired, blue-eyed daughter of Zeus in his mind. "It almost killed me."

"I'm glad you aren't dead." Lisa told him.

Alabaster murmured agreement, blinking sleepily. Despite the occasion, his eyelids were starting to close.

"Think I'm gonna fall sleep." He mumbled.

"Go ahead," Lisa told him. "I'll stay right here." She lifted her head slightly as she remembered something. "Oh yeah, I brought your lunch."

"That's great." Alabaster said as he drifted off.

"Of all the places to make her move," Jordan grumbled as he stuffed the last pack of steaks into his freezer. "She chooses my bloody ship."

Nico smirked as he put his boots up on the coffee table, pulling a blanket over himself.

"She just wants to show up the fact that she got attached before you did."

"Shut up."

The one-room apartment was small, cramped and smelled of dust. The single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling was the room's only source of light, casting weak light onto walls spotted with peeling paint and mould stains.

The little room was barely wide enough to fit a bed frame, not that it contained one. Its occupant slept instead in a sleeping bag laid across the floor. A torchlight, camping lamp and inflatable travel pillow were the only other items in the room.

There was no bathroom, balcony or kitchen, only a single window facing an equally derelict apartment block that was so close that one could lob a loaf of bread from one block into the window of the next, provided such a loaf existed in either building.

The young man lying on the sleeping bag twisted and groaned in constant pain, scarcely knowing day from night as he suffered hour after hour. His injuries didn't seem to heal despite the amount of nectar and medication he applied. He was crippled, weaponless and alone, though he knew he would eventually regain his strength.

Vengeance burned deep within him, the only coherent thought that sustained him through the pain. Power still flowed within him. Once he recovered, he would seek out those who had tried to destroy him and make them pay.

He drifted in and out of consciousness, lost in fevered pain. His senses were so debilitated that he didn't see the door inch open, nor did he realise he was being watched until the unseen person slammed the door off its hinges with a crash. Before he could even sit up he found a familiar sword at his throat.

"Did you think we wouldn't find you?" Jane asked

Alaric gave a cry of alarm as he recognised her. Desperation gave him speed enough to bat the sword away, taking a long gash down his forearm in the process. He staggered to his feet and Jane kicked him in the side, knocking him into the mouldy wall. He pushed off it with a gasp and the Sword of Kronos buried itself into the wall an inch from his skin. He lunged for the window, intending to throw himself out.

He didn't get the chance. A shadow burst out from under the windowsill, exploding into the shape of a young man in black armour. The shadow man punched Alaric in the face with such force that his head snapped backwards, blood flying. The punch was followed by a massive kick that sent him staggering back onto the sharpened point of the Sword of Kronos.

Jane grunted as Alaric's whole weight fall onto the sword, dragging her arm down. Alaric shuddered as he felt the blade enter his body, the entire length passing through the small of his back and out of his stomach before being stopped by the wide hilt. By some miracle it had missed his vital organs, but it was still a serious wound and he screamed as he thrashed on the sword, nearly wrenching it from Jane's grasp. She kicked him in the back of the leg, bringing him down, then drew the bronze knife she'd taken from Alabaster and plunged it into his neck. Nico stepped forward with his own knife and Alaric's forearm saved his life again, blocking the slash aimed at his throat. Nico growled, kicked him in the crotch and slashed again, this time severing two of Alaric's fingers. Jane twisted the sword in his gut, making him howl. Nico grabbed Alaric's forearm and wrenched it aside. Alaric jerked sideways as Nico stabbed down, burying the knife between Alaric's ribs.

"No!" The cry tore from Alaric's lips. "No, no!"

Nico tried to withdraw his knife for another strike, cursing as it stuck in the wound. He grabbed Alaric's hair in his fist instead and rained blows on him with the other, opening gashes on his face with studded gloves. Despite his small size the son of Hades was deceptively strong and for all of Alaric's endurance, he was no match against such a skilled opponent at point-blank range.

Jane ripped Alabaster's knife free with a spray of blood and stabbed again, this time slicing into his broad shoulder. Alaric's left arm gave a shudder and dropped limply to his side, but the movement had jammed the knife in the joint and Jane spat oaths as she tried to wrench it free.

Nico stepped back, breathing hard. His visor, breastplate and fists were spattered with blood.

"He's finished."

"No, he's not." Jane braced a hand against Alaric's back and pulled, sliding the Sword of Kronos free. She lined the sword up with Alaric's neck.

"Stop," Nico ordered. "It's over."

"There's only one way this is over." Jane growled.

"Don't do this!" Filled with battle rage as he was, Nico shook his head. "We'll take him to Olympus."

"No." Jane insisted, her voice trembling slightly. "This is between him and me."

Nico flicked the sword away with a gloved hand. "There's no coming back from this. Don't do something you'll regret."

Jane sidestepped his outstretched arm, putting the sword to Alaric's neck again. "Step away."

Nico took a step back, shaking his head. Jane grabbed a fistful of Alaric's hair, pulling his head up to meet her eyes.

"Please…" Alaric wheezed.

Her blood roared inside her ears. Jane tightened her grip. "Yeah, I said the same thing when you killed those legionnaires."

Nico looked away as she drew the blade hard across, wincing at the sudden splashing sound. There was a thump as Alaric's body collapsed.

"Was it worth it?" he asked hoarsely.

"He escaped us twice." Jane said. "This time I had to be sure."

Nico shook his head slowly. "If he could have escaped, he would have done so before we butchered him."

Jane's eyes flashed gold. "I've learned not to make assumptions."

Despite her vehemence, her hands had begun to shake. Nico approached her slowly, putting a gentle hand on her sword arm.

"Lower your sword." His voice was soft. "It's over."

Jane relaxed her arm, bringing the sword down at her side. Her throat was suddenly dry and she swallowed hard, trying to work moisture into her mouth.

"Let's go." Nico told her.

She nodded and closed her eyes. Her surroundings dissolved into darkness and then they were on Jordan's patio. The man himself was nowhere to be seen, although a plate of raw steaks next to a steaming barbecue indicated that he was somewhere around. Alabaster and Lisa were seated at a picnic table cutting tomatoes and capsicums. The son of Hecate looked up as they dropped in. His knife stopped halfway down the side of a capsicum.

"It's you." He took in their blood spattered armour. "There's a garden hose hanging on the railing." He jerked his head to the far end of the patio. "You're just in time for barbecue night."

Lisa turned to face them, remaining impassive as she met the wild look in Jane's eyes.

"You did it?" She asked her.

"Yeah." Jane whispered. "I did it."

Lisa nodded. "Put the sword away. It makes the lettuce shrivel."

Alabaster frowned. "That's just a myth, right?"

"So's my immortality." Lisa told him.

Alabaster's jaw dropped. "Wait, you're still immortal?"

Lisa stuck out her jaw at him. "I'm not giving it up."

"But I thought that you—" Alabaster stammered as his brain tried to wrap around the new piece of information. "I thought when we—"

"Hunters of Artemis are eternal maidens," Lisa stressed the last word.

"You've just destroyed all his hopes and dreams." Nico called from the other end of the porch, somehow managing to eavesdrop on them despite wearing a helmet and being ten metres away.

"I don't dream about that!" Alabaster groaned.

"Typical boys," Lanesra tutted as she appeared from the kitchen door carrying a bowl of assorted fruit. She set it down on the table next to the tomatoes.

Lisa plucked a cherry from the bowl, dangling it in Alabaster's face.

"You're not getting it." She told him, then popped it into her mouth.

Alabaster flushed red, sputtering out a response. Lisa took another cherry and jammed it between his teeth.

"Here. You can keep yours, too. You'd better."

Nico busted out laughing at the sight of a cherry-red Alabaster munching indignantly, red juice smeared over his lips.

"Oh, the look on this poor boy's face. You've just broken his heart, Lisa."

Jordan came marching through the kitchen door, clutching forks, knives and three salt-and-pepper shakers in his hands.

"My grass!" He moaned, seeing the heavy footsteps Nico's armoured boots had made.

"Oops." Nico said sheepishly. "Sorry."

Jordan dropped the utensils into a plate, creating a big din and making everybody wince. He slid his dagger underneath a steak and flipped it onto the grill with a flourish and a sizzle, then pointed the blade at Alabaster.

"Make sure he doesn't steal any tissue boxes tonight."

"You're full of shit, Jordan!" Alabaster glared at him.

"Mm." Jordan brought his tomahawk down on a row of sausage links, severing them. "You try anything with my sister and I'll cut off your sausage." Jordan told him. "Like this." He slammed the tomahawk down again.

"She'll cut it off before you can even get there," Lanesra remarked. "The only thing you can do is put it on the grill."

"The grill would be ruined," Nico screwed his face up. "It'll never come off."

"Will you all please drop it?" Alabaster groaned. "I'm not interested in Lisa's V-card, ok?"

He picked up a cherry, which coincidentally happened to be the one Lisa had been reaching for as well. She slapped it out of his hand.

"That's mine." She told him.

"What did I just say?" Jordan roared.

"Maybe you should change his bandage again," Nico suggested to Lisa, sliding onto the bench next to her. "Might make him feel better. He really seemed to like it the last time 'round."

Lisa wriggled her fingers suggestively, then made a fist and punched him off the bench.

"Why don't you change it for him?"

A massive steak came flying through the air, glistening with oil and herbs off the grill. It hit Lisa in the side of her head before flopping onto her plate with a slap. Lisa, who'd been staring down at Nico on the grass, whipped her gaze to her older brother standing straight-faced beside the grill.

"I missed," Jordan could have passed a polygraph test if he'd been hooked up to one. "That should have landed in your plate."

"Why on earth would you throw a steak?" Alabaster groaned.

Lisa jumped to her feet, vaulting over the table in a single smooth motion. "I'll teach you to miss, you bastard!" She lunged for him with a fork and knife.

Jordan dodged backwards and parried fast, slicing the fork tines off the handle. He ducked under the steak knife, then Lisa drove her shoulder into his body, throwing him back.

"WAIT!" Jordan yelled, but it was too late. His falling body upended the plate of sausages, sending them all flying into the air. "NO!" Jordan yelled, seeing disaster unfold before his eyes.

Lisa stuck out her leg and caught the falling plate on the top of her boot, then, with a precision that would have won her the Ballon d'Or, caught all the sausages on it before they could hit the ground. She kicked the plate up and snatched it out of the air, then tipped the sausages onto the grill.

"Hurry up and cook, I'm starving." She told him.

"Holy shit." Jane blinked. "I was gonna freeze them in midair."

"That's my girl." Alabaster smirked.

"I've never seen a girl handle sausages so well," Nico remarked. "Too bad she won't touch yours." He told Alabaster.

"Why did I even show up." Lanesra groaned.

The son of Hecate responded by throwing a capsicum core at Nico, causing tiny seeds to explode all over his face. Nico jerked backwards, then his eyes widened as Lisa hauled him up by the back of his collar.

"One more word about sausages," she told him. "And I'll kick yours into your brain."

"You're hungry and that's why you're cranky," Nico told her. "Eat your steak and you'll feel better."

The table of demigods settled back into their seats. Nico looked up as he heard Jordan's knife scrape the grill.

"Incoming!" He warned.

Four sausages flew toward them like missiles. Alabaster ducked as they whistled over his head, yelping as a drop of hot oil landed in his scalp. Two of them fell straight into Nico's plate. A third skidded onto Lisa's plate before coming to a stop right on the edge. The last one flew toward her face. Lisa's eyes narrowed and she lunged up like a shark, catching it in her mouth.

"We used to do that when we were young." Jordan told them.

"What." Alabaster gaped in disbelief as his girlfriend sucked the sausage halfway into her mouth and bit it off. The severed half dropped back into her plate. She swallowed and gave him a wink.

"See?" Jordan called over his shoulder. "That is precision."

"You're in for a long night." Nico told Alabaster.

Alabaster opened his mouth to give a withering retort, then yelped in fright as two sausages and a big steak dropped into his plate like mortar shells.

"Will you stop doing that!"

(Line break)

And we've finally reached the end! What a journey this has been. Massive, massive thanks to all who followed it to the end. You've no idea how encouraging it is to see the views come in every day. If you made it to the end with me, leave a review! How did you guys find the story? Was it too long? Too short? What do you think of my OCs? Which one was your favourite, and why? Cheers!

Josh SB